Hanging around: Ig Nobel Awarded for Rhino Transport Discovery

Zehrah Nanji on 29 January 2022

An experiment to observe upside down rhinos has won an Ig Nobel prize. The Ig Nobels were introduced in 1991 for the purpose of awarding trivial or humorous advances in the field of science. A US publication known as The Annals of Improbable Research organises them. While these Ig Nobels are not as renowned as an actual Nobel Prizes, they still highlight some pretty cool advancements in science!

Namibia, Africa is home to 1/3 of the world’s 5,500 black rhinos. Conservationists have to tactically relocate the animals in order to preserve local populations and encourage genetic diversity. Many rhinos are moved to national parks, free from poachers who hunt them down for their horns. Others are moved to conservancies: community preserves that attract visitors and tourists, increasing revenue by promising rhino sightings. 

Transporting animals that weigh over 1 tonne can be an extremely difficult task.  Furthermore, Namibia’s rough terrain, of savannah to sand dunes means it’s unrealistic to move them via streets. 

Helicopters have been used for the transportation of rhinos, they are sedated and flown hanging upside down. However, little was known about the clinical risks of this method.

Robin Radcliffe and colleagues conducted a study to understand If the rhino’s health would be affected by being suspended by their legs below a helicopter. Potent opioids have side effects that include reduced oxygen in the blood, higher metabolism, and respiratory depression. Therefore, the side effects of tranquilisers on the health of these animals was taken into consideration. Twelve were suspended rhinos from a crane and their physical responses measured. Results showed that being dangled upside down was the least unsafe position for them. 

Physiological effects were roughly the same as when the rhinos were upright, and the animal’s developed hypoxia. However, both oxygen levels and measures of ventilation were higher when the animals were upside down. Unexpectedly, ventilation was improved through suspension rather than when the rhinos were lying chest down or on their sides. This may have been due to the high level of blood flow through the lower part of the lung, however there was a lack of perfusion of the upper part of the lung due to gravity. Therefore, when a rhino is hanging upside down, it is essentially like its standing up- there is equal perfusion of the lung. 

This research changed rhino translocation as well as elephant translocation. Moving these animals by their feet is now recognised and accepted. It has now encouraged the idea of conducting similar research on other species including hippopotamuses and buffalos.

The Afghanistan Files: Drone strikes in the age of forever wars

Josh Bate on 25 January 2022

The military withdrawal in Afghanistan represents a rejection of the forever war, a concept given to a conflict that never ends. However, the rampant use of drones as a tool of Extrajudicial killing suggests otherwise. Josh Bate reports on the fatal consequences of targeted killing in Afghanistan and what it might indicate for future governments.

“I just try to let the tunes lead the way” – Miles Kane on his latest album, ‘Change the Show’

Benjamin Forrest on 21 January 2022

The latest effort from Birkenhead-born indie rock giant Miles Kane, entitled Change the Show, marks his fourth solo album since releasing Colour of the Trap back in 2011. I spoke with Miles ahead of the release, as he reflected on his previous work and gave us some insight into the production of this fantastic new album.

In many ways, Change the Show can be viewed as a departure from the heavy indie sound Kane became known for on his most popular tracks (such as ‘Rearrange’ or ‘Come Closer’). The new album tends to have a much more mature sound. Commenting on this development in his trademark sound, Kane said “I try to just let the tunes lead the way with it. Demoing it up and recording it, I was still doing tunes that were a bit more heavy or a bit more glammy, but then the ones that were a bit more in this world just seemed to sort of resonate more with me. It became clear to make it all like this.”. Whilst the album is not a million miles away from his previous work, Change the Show definitely has a more suave, classy style to it, with influences of soul and Motown present throughout. The inclusion of horns on tracks such as ‘Don’t Let It Get You Down’ came as a welcome inclusion to the new LP, Miles commented, “It’s probably a bit less aggressive than the last one but it’s still upbeat and stuff. I think as a collective of tunes, the order of it and the way they go into each other it works really well.”. The record does very much feel like it is an album, as opposed to a collection of songs, it almost dictates that it should be listened to start to finish rather than dipping in and out. As Miles said, it flows very well from song to song and the journey through the album is a very pleasant one. 

Change the Show is the fourth solo studio album released by Kane, his first album Colour of the Trap was released back in 2011 on Columbia Records. Reflecting on his solo career, he said, “I’d like to think my writing process has changed a lot – but whether it’s this album or the last album, I feel like I have that same feeling as I did when I did my first album. Every album I make I feel like it’s my first one. This album compared to that one, I’d like to think it’s moved on a bit, it’s cohesive and it’s its own little world.”. Previous to his solo projects, Miles fronted the indie band The Rascals, who received critical praise in the NME and supported Arctic Monkeys during their 2007 tour, “When I was younger and I was in the Rascals and Flames, that’s how I learnt my craft”. Miles has seen some great success throughout his solo work, with two top ten albums in Don’t Forget Who You Are (2013) and Coup de Grace (2018) – with Change the Showlikely to add that list. In addition to his solo work, though, Kane has also witnessed success with other projects such as The Last Shadow Puppets; his duo project with Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys fame. Asked about what he likes about working on solo projects versus working with a band, Kane explained, “When we do the Puppets – that’s its own sort of thing, I love that – a duo – I like a partnership. Even the thing I’ve done with Corine [Corine Bailey Rae] on this record, there’s something about duos that I really like. Even if it’s just a song, that kind of battle between two people or the back and forth – that’s something I enjoy a lot. I mean I love writing tunes on my own and recording with people; I did this album with Dave and Oscar from Sunglasses For Jaws and they’re an amazing drummer and bass player so it’s almost like being in a band when you’re making it. It’s still that aesthetic, I guess, but just no nonsense really.”.

Change the Show album cover, image courtesy of Ian Cheek press

In addition to this new album, Miles also featured on ‘Dealer’, a recent single by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, “We did that tune a while ago, there was a few tunes done and I love that tune. I think it that was one of those tunes that felt so unique at the time.” said Miles of the track. Whilst he did say the pair have recorded more songs together, so far ‘Dealer’ has been the only one to see the light of day. The single has proved to be incredibly popular, with over 30 million streams on Spotify. On the reaction to their song, Kane said “Seeing the reaction it’s had, all the streams and all that,  it’s blown my mind to be honest.”, he puts the popularity of the track down to its unique nature in comparison to the rest of Del Rey’s work, “It’s an intense tune and I think where she takes that song – no one’s ever heard her sing like that before. She really lets go and rips on it and I think that’s what makes it, it’s mind blowing.”. 

For depressingly obvious reasons, Miles has been forced to postpone his UK tour to May, which will see him play 16 dates across the country. Speaking on how it feels to be back playing live shows after so long, the artist said, “I can’t wait, to be honest. We had a little taste of it at the end of the summer, we did a couple of little festivals and one little gig – so the carrot’s been dangled. I’d play anywhere right now.”. Known for his exciting and energetic live performances and armed with a brand-new album full of effortlessly cool tracks, the tour is certainly not one to be missed. Kane will be visiting the O2 Academy in Leeds on Sunday the 29thMay, tickets are available from the artists’ website. 

Leeds-based Yard Act do not disappoint with debut album ‘The Overload’

Benjamin Forrest on 21 January 2022

Leeds-based post-punk quartet Yard Act burst onto the local music scene in September of 2020 with their first 7” single ‘Fixer Upper’ backed with ‘The Trapper’s Pelts’. Since then, the group have taken the independent music scene by storm, with singles ‘Peanuts’ and ‘Dark Days’ cementing the band as a unique voice among their peers. The long-awaited debut album The Overload is finally here, after some delays due to a shortage in vinyl pressing plants, and it is already a serious contender for album of the year!

With deep roots in the Leeds music scene, Yard Act is comprised of James Smith who grew a name for himself fronting Post War Glamour Girls, Ryan Needham who saw some success as one half of the core duo which made up the criminally underrated band Menace Beach, joined by Sam Shipstone on guitar and Jay Russell on drums. Their debut album The Overload seems to cover every mood from the high energy, driving beat of ‘Witness (Can I Get A?)’, to the existential-crisis-inducing despair of ‘Tall Poppies’ because closing out with a message of hope in the form of ‘100% Endurance’. Truly, there is not a bad song on this album – track 8 ‘Quarantine the Sticks’ even features contributions from Tor Maries (otherwise known as the post-punk giant Billy Nomates) . The standout track, though, is surely ‘Dead Horse’, which is arguably one of the best pieces of artistic social commentary since fellow Yorkshireman J.B. Priestley wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’. A stunning indictment of current-day England and the shoddy state it finds itself in, ‘Dead Horse’ features the sort of brilliantly smart and sarcastic lyrics which Yard Act have become synonymous with. 

Smart lyrics, catchy tunes and a decent sense of humour – independent music has been begging for a band like Yard Act for far too long. The Overload is a triumph of a debut album. Released on the band’s own Zen F.C. label, and distributed via Island Records, on a seemingly endless volume of different vinyl editions of varying rarity (including exclusive editions released via Crash Records and Jumbo Records here in Leeds!), plus hand-spray painted CDs and two different variants of cassette tape – surely there is valid opportunity for everybody in the country to own a copy of this album, and quite rightly too!

Currently on a tour of the nation’s record stores, Yard Act will return to Leeds for a show at Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen for the first time since their legendary Halloween 2021 set as part of Dark Arts Festival. Tickets are available via See Tickets, although they are likely to be snapped up very quickly so don’t hang around!